Armeria plant named ‘Vivid Dreams’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Armeria plant named ‘Vivid Dreams’, characterized by its relatively short, upright, dense and uniformly mounded plant habit; long narrow dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; inflorescences positioned on upright and rigid peduncles with reddish purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Armeria pseudarmeria.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VIVID DREAMS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Armeriaplant, commonly referred to as Thrift or Sea Pink, botanically known asArmeria pseudarmeria, commercially used as a garden plant, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Vivid Dreams’.

The new Armeria plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new Armeria plants withuniform, dense and upright plant habit, upright and rigid peduncles,large globular inflorescences, attractive flower color and good gardenperformance.

The new Armeria plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventors in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia in November, 2015 ofArmeria pseudarmeria ‘Dream Weaver’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.30,600, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofArmeria pseudarmeria identified as red selection #2, not patented, asthe male, or seed, parent. The new Armeria plant was discovered andselected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia in October, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Armeria plant since October, 2016 byvegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Wonga Park, Victoria,Australia has shown that the unique features of this new Armeria plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Armeria have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such astemperature and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Vivid Dreams’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Vivid Dreams’ as a new and distinct Armeriaplant:

-   -   1. Relatively short, upright, dense and uniformly mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Long narrow dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Inflorescences positioned on upright and rigid peduncles with        reddish purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Armeria can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Dream Weaver’. Plants of the new Armeria differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of thenew Armeria have reddish purple-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘DreamWeaver’ have deep rose pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Armeria can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Armeria differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Armeria havereddish purple-colored flowers whereas plants of the male parentselection have red-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the newArmeria have shorter peduncles than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Armeria can be compared to plants of Armeriapseudarmeria ‘Sweet Dreams’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,612.Plants of the new Armeria differ primarily from plants of ‘Sweet Dreams’in flower color as plants of the new Armeria have darker reddishpurple-colored flowers than plants of ‘Sweet Dreams’.

Plants of the new Armeria can also be compared to plants of Armeriapseudarmeria ‘Dreamland’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,601.Plants of the new Armeria differ primarily from plants of ‘Dreamland’ inflower color as plants of the new Armeria have reddish purple-coloredflowers whereas plants of ‘Dreamland’ have dark salmon-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Armeria plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Armeria plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Vivid Dreams’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘Vivid Dreams’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in outdoor nurseriesin Elburn, Ill. and Fort Worth, Tex. and under cultural practicestypical of commercial Armeria production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 32° C. to 40° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 21° C. to 35° C. Plants were six months oldwhen the photographs and the description were taken. In the description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Armeria pseudarmeria ‘Vivid Dreams’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Armeria pseudarmeria ‘Dream            Weaver’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,600.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Armeria            pseudarmeria identified as red selection #2, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at soil            temperatures about 20° C. and ambient temperatures about 25°            C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at soil            temperatures about 20° C. and ambient temperatures about 15°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days            at soil temperatures about 20° C. and ambient temperatures            about 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 days            at soil temperatures about 12° C. and ambient temperatures            about 12° C.        -   Root description.—Medium thickness, fibrous; typically white            in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown            as a landscape plant; plants relatively compact, dense,            upright and uniformly mounded; basally clumping with leaves            and flower peduncles developing from the base; freely            branching and flowering habit; flowers arranged in dense            globular terminal umbels; moderately vigorous growth habit            and moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 16.5            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About 26            cm.        -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 22 cm.-   Stem description:    -   -   Length.—About 1 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; matte.        -   Color.—Close to 177A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette, simple, sessile.        -   Length.—About 10 cm.        -   Width.—About 5.5 mm.        -   Shape.—Acicular, carinate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Clasping.        -   Margin.—Entire; not undulate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            semi-glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            slightly glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            between 144A and 146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to between 139A and 147A; towards the base, close to            NN155D; venation, close to between 139A and 147A and            proximally, close to NN155D. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to between 139A and 147A; towards the base,            close to NN155D; venation, close to 146A and proximally,            close to NN155D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform to            star-shaped tubular flowers arranged in dense terminal            umbels; flowers sessile; freely flowering habit with about            75 flowers developing per inflorescence and numerous            inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering            season; flowers face upright to outwardly depending on            position on the inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—Plants begin flowering about 24 weeks            after planting and flower continuously in the garden from            early spring to early summer.        -   Post-production longevity.—Flowers last about one to two            weeks on the plant depending on temperatures; corolla not            persistent, calyx persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 2 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.25 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 3 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 1 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly            glossy. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About five, occasionally,            six, in a single whorl, fused towards the base. Length:            About 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 3.5 mm. Shape: Elongated            spatulate. Apex: Obtuse to broadly acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Proximally, close to NN155D and distally,            close to N78B to N78C. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to N78A to N78B; towards the base, close to            NN155D; color does not fade with subsequent development;            however petals will become brownish, close to 174A, during            senescence.        -   Sepals.—Calyx length: About 7 mm. Calyx diameter, distally:            About 3 mm. Calyx diameter, proximally: About 1.25 mm. Calyx            shape: Tubular, distally, sepals flaring outwardly. Quantity            and arrangement: Five to seven in a single whorl, lower 75%            to 80% fused. Length: About 7 mm. Width, lobe: About            1.25 mm. Shape, lobe: Roughly deltoid. Apex: Long acuminate.            Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte.        -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About twelve in            a single whorl at the base of the inflorescence. Length:            About 1.2 cm. Width: About 3.25 mm. Shape: Roughly deltoid.            Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to between 144A and 146A.        -   Involucral sheath.—Quantity and arrangement: One at the base            of the inflorescence; downwardly orientated. Length: About            1.5 cm to 3 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Roughly            rectangular. Apex: Jagged, praemorse. Margin: Entire.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; papery; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Proximally, close to between 144A and 146A and distally,            close to NN155D and translucent.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Aspect: Mostly upright to curving upright. Strength: Strong.            Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.            Color: Close to 139A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five to            seven per flower. Filament length: About 2.75 mm. Filament            color: Close to 157D. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 9A. Amount of pollen:            None observed. Gynoecium: Pistil number: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 4.5 mm, thread-like. Style length:            About 3.75 mm. Style color: Close to 157D. Stigma diameter:            About 0.1 mm. Stigma shape: Pointed. Stigma color: Close to            157D. Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Armeria.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Armeria have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Armeria plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Armeria have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Armeria plant named ‘Vivid Dreams’as illustrated and described.